Gene's Big Dumb Kidneys

What is PKD?

PKD stands for polycystic kidney disease. It’s a genetic disease that causes uncontrolled growth of cysts in the kidney, eventually leading to kidney failure. A typical kidney is the size of a human fist and weighs about a third of a pound. In people with PKD, kidneys can be much larger, some growing as large as a football, and weighing many pounds each.

What difference did a kidney transplant make for Gene?

Kidney transplant is a major surgery with a phased recovery period. Still, when compared to dialysis, kidney transplant offers people like Gene the opportunity for a longer, healthier, and more satisfying life.

Are there other options?

Well, there’s dialysis. While it can save lives, it comes at a cost. Dialysis is a method to keep you alive long enough to find a living donor kidney. Dialysis is confining and inconvenient. Patients are tethered to a machine for three-to four-hour sessions in a clinic, typically three times per week. Dialysis is exhausting for patients and fraught with morbidity and eventual mortality.